This invention is directed to a process for producing a phenol and/or a cyclohexanone, and more particularly, it is directed to a process for producing a phenol which is useful as an intermediate in the production of phenolic resins, plasticizers, dyes, and the like, and a cyclohexanone which is useful as an intermediate in the production of high molecular weight compounds such as Nylon and polyesters, and organic chemicals such as plasticizers and synthetic lubricates.
Phenols have been produced, for example, by dehydrogenating cyclohexanones or cyclohexanols under gas-phase reaction conditions by using a platinum based catalyst as described in Japanese Patent Application Kokai No. 44-6810.
Cyclohexanones have been produced by oxidizing cyclohexenones under particular reaction conditions.
Several processes for simultaneously producing phenols and cyclohexanones have been known. Japanese Patent Application Kokai No. 51-88929 discloses an oxidation of cyclohexylbenzene with oxygen under the presence of catalysts such as hydrobromic and hydrochloric acids to produce a phenol and a cyclohexanone. U.S. Pat. No. 4,021,490 discloses an automatic oxidation of cyclohexylbenzene to produce cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide, which is further decomposed with an acid to simultaneously produce a phenol and a cyclohexanone.
Conventional processes for producing phenols and/or cyclohexanones suffer from their low yield of the resulting products.
The cyclohexylbenzene which is generally used in conventional processes for simultaneously producing a phenol and a cyclohexanone is not readily available.
In the process of Japanese Patent Application Kokai No. 51-88929, the hydrobromic or hydrochloric acid employed as the catalyst was liable to corrode equipment used in the process. In the process of U.S. Pat. No. 4,021,490, the hydroperoxide produced as an intermediate was chemically unstable and required special equipments for the sake of safe operation, resulting in a complicated production system.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a process wherein a phenol and/or a cyclohexanone is safely produced at high yield.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description thereof proceeds.